Nov 6, 2013

06:00 AM

How to Start a Green Team at Your School

By Hillary Chybinski

Everyone is going "green" these days, and our schools are no exception. Greening our schools can be good for the environment, good for education and good for the bottom line as well. But if you don't already have a program in place, how can you suggest that your school get its own Green Team in the game?

Start by asking your parent-teacher organization, they may welcome the opportunity for a new committee and new volunteers. Check with your administrators and be sure to get clearance for any projects or programs you want to start. Once you get the "green" light - you're all set.

Now the fun part begins. Your team can develop a mission or vision statement to set the tone and consider inviting teachers, staff and parents to participate. Decide if your team wants to set a few goals to get you started. For instance, you could start a recycling program such as TerraCycle in your lunchroom.

We are getting started with this in our school district, and the team is focusing on three primary areas: reducing waste, education and grounds & greening. Something to keep in mind is that when you are just getting started, it takes time to learn how things are currently being done. Once you figure that out, your team can come up with a strategy to improve and green your processes.

The possibilities are endless, from hosting a swap meet for clothes or toys to a clean-up-the-grounds day to planting a school garden to share with the community or lunchroom. All it takes is a little time and some volunteers to get started. And look around: There are grants and other programs available to help you out as well.

Does your school have a Green Team? What are your initiatives for this school year?

Hillary Chybinski is a crafty mom of 2 boys living the American Dream with her husband in the Philly burbs. This post was adapted from her blog,My Scraps.

This page requires javascript. It seems that your browser does not have Javascript enabled. Please enable Javascript and press the Reload/Refresh button on your browser.

Add your comment:

Advertisement

About This Blog

Outstanding Delaware Valley mom and dad bloggers share insights about their kids or themselves, family experiences or ways they handled parenting situations. Their items — often reposted from their blogs — reflect everyday experiences that anyone can relate to rather than political viewpoints or belief systems.